Home Design Trend Watch: Week Four

28Jan

A lot of people can be intimidated by the remodel process because they worry that the trendy things they choose for their home might not stay in style. This is what designers are for! At Powell Construction, we can help you pick on-trend fixtures and finishes that won’t look dated just a few years down the road.

Pendant Light Fixtures

Back in the day, most homes had one pendant light, centered over the dining room table to provide ambiance for entertaining or soft lighting for a romantic dinner. Today, pendant lights come in a variety of designs, finishes, and textures, and they are turning up throughout the home. They are in entry ways and living rooms, over kitchen islands … and of course the dining room table.

As we’re seeing fewer kitchens with traditional upper cabinets, we’re noticing a rise in statement backsplashes. Stone backsplashes with a narrow ledge or shelf are especially popular. This allows your kitchen counter to run up the back wall as a backsplash, and it gives your kitchen a more cohesive look. In addition to its dramatic look, open shelving also provides a handy area for drying dishes or a space to display cherished or whimsical items.

With their flexibility and feeling of spaciousness, open floor plans continue to increase in popularity. Often, these designs combine a living room, dining room, and kitchen into a great room. This allows homeowners to create cozy corners or conversation areas within a large, visually interesting space. Furniture, rugs, and tables can be used to visually define these spaces without the use of any walls. Originally, open floor plans were found primarily in modern homes, but they can now be found with almost any style you choose.

It took years for kitchens to move from being sequestered away to being the centerpiece of the home, and now, they are shifting from allover neutral palettes with inconspicuous appliances to bold, vibrant colored spaces for families and friends to gather. Rather than soft gray, expect to see people choosing cabinet colors that fall more in the charcoal range. We’ve already seen folks who choose this darker type of palette complimenting it with a darker and more elegant sink choice; rather than stainless steel or the traditional white, they might choose copper or granite as their sink material. Some people are choosing an even less conventional route for the introduction of color into their kitchen: Appliances. Stainless steel appliances have been the norm for a while, so seeing a different finish come into play is not surprising. Some of the most expensive and stylish stoves out right now are featured in ruby reds and bright blues.